In the spirit of Gemutlichkeit (good times), on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m., outside Kitchener City Hall will be pomp and ceremony, music and dancing, and the enthusiasm of thousands of revellers eager to kick-off the 2017 fest.

The Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade on Oct. 9, starting at 8:30 a.m., will feature 120 floats, bands and costumed characters making their way from Weber and Frederick streets in Kitchener.

About 150,000 people line a five-kilometre route through the Twin Cities for the parade.

Popular events on closing day, Oct. 14, include a beer-barrel race, food-truck feast and a car show.

The origins of Oktoberfest celebrations began with festivities to celebrate a wedding in Bavaria 207 years ago of King Ludwig and Therese von Sachsen-Hildenburghausen.

In 1969, the founding fathers of Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest recreated this Bavarian tradition in Bingeman Park and now about $1.5 million is raised annually to assist not-for-profit organizations.

Created by Waterloo Brewing, Waterloo Festbier is crafted in the traditional Bavarian Marzenbier style with a rich toastiness and dark copper colour “that will knock your knee-high socks off,” said president Mark Bingeman.

Also available are the tastes of Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner, two authentic German brews produced by Waterloo Brewing. bingemans.com